


Mrs. Rosa's Omnic

by VenusianBouquet



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Childhood, Gen, Omnic Crisis, Pre-Omnic Crisis, headcanon heavy, sort of, tiny jesse mccree grows up in turbulent times
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-30
Updated: 2016-10-30
Packaged: 2018-08-27 21:47:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,031
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8418145
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VenusianBouquet/pseuds/VenusianBouquet
Summary: Jesse McCree is a lot smarter than everyone gives him credit for, although that's true for most four year olds. He notices things; the way his mother gets more nervous than ever, or the way the adults look at each other when they get picked up from school. He's not dumb; he knows something's going on.





	

Jesse McCree is about four years old when the lady down the block gets herself an omnic. They seem nice. It laughs in a tinny, artificial tone whenever Jesse shoots them with his finger guns, and then his mother reprimands him, and apologizes to them, and they wave it away. And then they shoot back when she isn’t looking. 

He likes them.

Of course, it’s also a few years into the liquidation sales of the Omnica Corporation, and there are persistent rumors that the later series of omnics don’t work right. Little things, like folding sheets wrong after being shown how by human staff. Big things, too, like being asked to bring water and bringing their owners rat poison. 

No one really knows what’s going on, even though it’s been going on for years. Not that he would know anything either; all he really knows is that, after a while, he doesn’t see Mrs. Rosa’s omnic doing work outside anymore. 

A few months later, Mrs. Rosa gets shot. Her omnic says they cant remember. Jesse sees it screech mechanically over her body, terrified and yet calm, or… maybe it only looked calm. The police take it away. 

He gets sad, then, ‘cause Mrs. Rosa’s dead, and Mx. (he remembers, ‘cause he asked them once if they were Ms. or Mr. and they said Mx.) Omnic was nice. They played with Jesse once when his mom was too busy to watch him, and they let him have two cookies before dinner instead of one. 

The mood in the neighborhood changes after that, or maybe it changes in the city too — school’s canceled a few months later. None of the kids really know why, but then again, there’s only 8 of them left in his class anyways. 

And one of them is really dumb, too. They’re waiting to be picked up when they start talking about it. “I heard it’s ‘cause the ominums are making ominics go crazy. My daddy says he saw one strangle its owner.” 

Cassandra throws a block at Jimmy, ‘cause she agrees with Jesse and thinks Jimmy’s dumb. “Nuh-uh! My cousins have one an’ she’s super nice when she comes over with them an’ she likes playing with us. She gets worried sometimes, an’ it’s weird ‘cause sometimes they can’t move their faces, but we can tell.” She nods, and it makes her curls bounce. “She thinks we can’t, but we can tell she gets worried whenever we leave the wi-fi on.” 

Tanya stops chewing her granola bar to pitch in. “ _Mi tío_ says it’s because the omniums is tellin’ the omnics to kill they owners. The closer you is to one, the crazier they get.” 

Cassandra rolls her eyes. "That's basically the same thing Jimmy just said, stupid head!"

Jesse doesn’t wanna think about it anymore, so he tells them all to shut up. 

It doesn’t get any better at home; his mom jumps when he scares her, so it’s not fun anymore. She doesn’t laugh the way she used to when he does it. She turns off the TV whenever he’s around too, ‘cause she thinks he’s dumb. But Jesse knows more about things than she thinks. 

“Breaking News: Major U.S. Cities in turmoil following omnic invasion. New York, Boston, Los Angeles, Seattle, and others, around the world and at home, under attack. Deaths are high. If you have loved ones in these areas, do not call. Leave lines open for authorities and people in the area. If you yourself are in these areas check in with authorities, wait for instructions. Evacuate. Listen to local law enforcement and––“ 

“Jesse! _¿Qué haces despierto?_ ” 

“I’m up because you woke me up, ma. What are you doing?” 

And then he sees them. Bags packed. Water jugs in one bag, cans of food in another, clothes in another, medicines on the table, a knife — a gun. 

She follows his eyes. “ _Jesse Alejandro McCree_ ,” she says his name in Spanish so he’ll listen, “I’m gonna be very honest right now. I need you to listen to me. Okay? Are you listening?” 

“Yes ma’am.” 

She smiles at that, and it’s almost enough to make him not scared anymore. “We’re gonna have to leave soon. I’ve packed bags, but it’ll be great, we’re gonna… we’re gonna go camping like we used to! See if you can carry the clothes, huh? Can you do that? And see if you can pack your little games and toys, alright? We don’t have to leave now, but just be ready. Okay?” 

She makes everything into a question, which makes things worse, but he can see she’s scared, and he doesn’t want her to be. “Okay.” 

He packs his teddy bear, and his mom’s old Nintendo Switch that she gave to him, and his new Pokémon game, all in a backpack with some perishable foods she didn’t have room for. It’s not time to leave yet, she says, but she wants to be ready. The bags sit in the living room right next to the door. Then, she tucks him in, and just as she’s about to leave, he asks her something that makes her heart break. 

“ _Mamí, ¿es verdad que los ómnicos nos van a matar?_ ” 

“ _¿Por qué me preguntas eso?_ ” 

“ _Porque no soy estúpido._ ” 

She sighs. 

Her son doesn’t know the feeling until much later in his life, but there are several things that Vivianne McCree feels in her heart at this moment, two more strongly than any other: love for her child, who is smarter than he should be; and fear for her child, who is smarter than he should be. “You’re right. You’re not dumb. And that’s why I hide things from you, _mi amor_ , because you’re a child. One day soon, you’re gonna be a grown up, doing grown up things, and the world is a scary place. I want you to be happy, and so sometimes I hide things. But I shouldn’t do that. I promise I’ll try not to. Okay?” 

“Okay. _Buenas noches._ _Te quiero mucho_.” 

Her eyes are shining when she responds. “Goodnight, Jesse. I love you too.” 

It’s only years later that he realizes: she never answered his question.

**Author's Note:**

> I know the timeline is a mess, but Jesse, Angela, Genji, and anyone older than 30-33 might have some memory of the Omnic Crisis. It's said to have ended more than 30 years before the present day, so it could've ended 35 or even 31 years ago... it's all very vague, and I'm capitalizing on that. 
> 
> If Jesse McCree is 37, and he's four, that leaves three whole years for the omnic crisis to end. Anyways, this might end up being part of a series, I have a fic about Lúcio getting lost and being found and brought home by an omnic. Not necessarily during the crisis, but definitely only a few years after. Anyways!
> 
> Spanish translations, all from me because I grew up speaking it.
> 
> Mi tío = My uncle  
> ¿Qué haces despierto? = What are you doing up?  
> Mamí, ¿es verdad que los ómnicos nos van a matar? = Mom, is it true the omnics are gonna kill us?  
> ¿Por qué me preguntas eso? = Why are you asking me that?  
> Porque no soy estúpido. = Because I'm not stupid.  
> Mi amor = My love  
> Buenas noches. Te quiero mucho. = Goodnight. Love you.
> 
> Hope you guys liked it!


End file.
